Is tanning bad for your health?
Some activities affect your appearance and health for a very long time. Tanning is one of them. If you want healthy skin, you need to tan in a way that doesn’t damage it.
How does tanning affect your skin?
The skin is the body’s largest organ and the main barrier between the organism and the environment. It also contains cells that help the immune system fight off bacteria.
When you tan, your skin is exposed to sunlight, which contains two types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB (there is also a third type, UVC, but it is absorbed by the atmosphere before it reaches the ground). UVB radiation only reaches the superficial layers of the skin (the epidermis) and can cause sunburn. UVA, on the other hand, reaches deeper layers, the dermis, and produces a tan.
UVA is most closely linked to skin aging, while UVB is linked to the development of skin cancer. A tan is visible proof that a damaging factor is acting on your skin. When ultraviolet radiation hits the skin, it stimulates melanocytes (specific cells in the skin) to produce the dark pigment melanin. Melanin protects the skin from the sun’s rays and works like a parasol. Different people have different amounts of melanin in their skin. People from Northern Europe (including Estonia) often have very little melanin in their skin and are fair-skinned. People from Southern Europe and Africa have considerably more melanin in their skin.
The far-reaching effects of sun exposure
Melanin can protect your skin only up to a certain point. Spending too much time in the sun can damage your skin in the following ways: wrinkles start to appear too early, brownish spots develop on the skin, and the skin becomes thin and flaky and ages quickly. If you want to see what the sun’s rays do, compare your skin with your parents’ skin. Dermatologists believe that 90% of that difference is caused by sun exposure and only 10% by age.
In the worst case, excessive sun exposure can cause skin cancer, lead to eye diseases and weaken the immune system, which fights disease. The incidence of skin cancer has risen in recent years, and unfortunately many cases end in death.
Some ways to protect yourself
If you don’t have to spend much time outdoors, use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day, even when it’s cloudy. Choose a sunscreen that protects you from both UVA and UVB radiation. If you don’t want to use a proper sunscreen, use a moisturizer with added sun protection. If you plan to spend the day outdoors, reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours, especially after swimming or sweating. When you are in direct sunlight, use a sunscreen with a higher protection factor, such as SPF 30. If you do sports, try to find a water-resistant sunscreen. Avoid the sun between 10 and 16 o’clock, when the sun’s rays are strongest.
If possible, wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a cap. Wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection. If possible, stay away from reflective surfaces such as water and snow — they increase the amount of UV rays even further.
Some medications can make you more sensitive to the sun. Examples include some antibiotics used to treat acne. Be sure to ask your doctor whether your medications could have such an effect.
Safe tanning
Self-tanning creams are available in stores, and with them you don’t need the sun to get a tan. This kind of tan lasts 3-6 days.
There is another way to tan — tanning beds. The UV radiation in a tanning bed is 5 times stronger than in natural sunlight. That is why frequent tanning bed users also have a higher risk of skin cancer, and their skin ages faster.
The safest option is a gentle tan — you know it is safe, and you will still look great in 30 years.
Pictured: Rene Kari, sculptor, read more: https://www.fitness.ee/uudis/skulpturism-keha-kui-kunstiteos/ You can find out more at https://www.kunstihoone.ee/programm/kevadnaitus-2023/
Author:Turg.Fitness.ee
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